May 1, 2020—The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office investigated U.S. crash data and found that safety regulators have failed to take action to save lives when it comes to pedestrian traffic deaths, reported Consumer Reports.

The GAO's investigation revealed that the rise in popularity of SUVs, high speed and older vehicles on the road were major factors in crashes that killed pedestrians. 

To address some of the issues, the federal watchdog recommends the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) take the following actions:

• Decide whether to include pedestrian safety tests as a part of its five-star safety rating program.
• Do a better job of collecting detailed data on the types and severity of pedestrian injuries.

According to the report, NHTSA said that upcoming changes to the five-star safety rating program may take pedestrian safety into account. “NHTSA is aware of GAO’s report and will take its recommendations under consideration,” a spokesman for the agency told Consumer Reports.